Judge Steve Rosen (retired)

ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution) is an outstanding way to resolve disputes without having to go to court. It is often faster, cheaper, and less stressful than court proceedings. ADR can also help preserve relationships between parties, as it is more collaborative and less adversarial than litigation. Additionally, ADR can provide more creative solutions than a court ruling because the parties can work together to come up with a mutually beneficial outcome.

Accomplished. Determined. Respected.

What lawyers say:

"This was probably the best settlement conference I have been in. A case that I believed
would never settle, settled. Judge Rosen was so gracious and yet really pushed the
parties to reach a settlement. He went above and beyond and stayed late to ensure
the parties signed the final settlement document.
Outstanding!"

"Judge Rosen's attention to the case and investment of time far exceeded my expectations,
and I particularly appreciated the fact that he took such an active role talking to my
clients, explaining the practical implications of various suggestions,
and proposing concrete alternatives/ideas/solutions."

"The judge did an amazing job that provided a very fair global resolution...
We could not have received a better outcome in a negotiation."

"Judge Rosen was excellent in the mediation and really helped the parties resolve their case.
He was thoughtful in his approach and it was clear that he had taken
the time to carefully review the parties' case file."

"The judge's demeanor throughout the 5 hour mediation was a clear indication
that he was genuinely interested in helping the parties reach a solution.
His patience through the hours of the mediation in getting to that solution
was consistent with his demeanor. I have worked as a mediator myself for a
number of years and appreciated how well he conducted the proceeding."

"He was empathetic and compassionate."

About

Having served as a judge for more than 16 years, I have come to believe that handling disputes through arbitration or mediation is a far superior way to decide conflict when compared to the court process. These methods of alternative dispute resolution are faster, more efficient, often less costly, and typically lead to better results because the process can be tailored to any specific situation.

I attended the University of Washington, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Economics. I also took a significant number of computer programming classes during my undergraduate years. After graduation, I attended law school at the University of Minnesota. Upon receiving my Juris Doctorate, I moved back to Seattle to begin my legal career at a Seattle law firm handling the defense of civil lawsuits. I became a prosecutor in 1997 litigating everything from simple misdemeanors to serious felonies, developing a specialty in computer related issues.

I eventually left the prosecutor’s office to start my own firm which focused on criminal defense, real estate matters, and class action lawsuits. I became a part-time judge in 2007 and a full-time judge in 2010. I have had a tremendously rewarding tenure as a judge. My case-loads have included: criminal, car accident, personal injury, real estate, probate, medical malpractice, intellectual property, and products liability cases. I have also handled thousands of divorces, custody disputes, and dissolution of property and support disputes.

I am humbled to have consistently received high ratings by the lawyers of the King County Bar Association as well as a number of awards over my career including the Governor’s Award and the Washington Women Lawyer’s Vanguard Award. At the National Judicial College, I attended professional training in ADR. Additionally, I am a regular speaker at education events for attorneys.

I retired from the King County Superior Court in 2023, and I enjoy spending time with my wife and children exploring the beautiful Pacific Northwest.

Contact

Call, text or email. To see my calendar and book appointments click here.

You can send mail to us or drop off exhibit notebooks in boxes at:
PO Box 15811
Seattle, WA 98115Call | Text - (206) 333-3633Use this form to send an email (but if you are looking for Judge Rosen's availability, you can see it right here without waiting for an emailed response):

WHAT TO EXPECT

Whether you are asking me to be your arbitrator or mediator in Seattle, Bellevue, Tacoma, King County, Snohomish County, Pierce County, or other areas, I can conduct your proceeding in person or via video conferencing (such as Zoom).

After you and the other person(s) involved with your dispute have chosen a date for your arbitration or mediation, you will next sign up on the book instantly page. Within 24 hours, I will let you know if I have any conflict of interest with your dispute. Once all parties have paid their portion of my fee (and I do not have a conflict of interest), each party will receive a link and unique password to securely upload documents as well as a Zoom link for your proceeding. If you are not comfortable uploading documents, you can submit them via email or send in hard copies to the address on the contact page. All documents need to be received at least 3 days before your proceeding to ensure that I have time to read them. You will also receive a reminder email the day before your proceeding.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Arbitration
Arbitration is similar to a trial, but the arbitrator makes all of the decisions instead of a judge. The main difference between an arbitration and a trial are that the parties can choose the arbitrator in an arbitration, but in a trial the decision maker will be a randomly selected judge. Arbitration is usually much faster and with lower legal fees. Some arbitrations can be very short (and in some family law disputes they can be finalized completely via email). Others can be much longer, lasting days or weeks. Parties are typically represented by attorneys in arbitrations.

I am fully compliant with the Uniform Family Law Arbitration Act, effective on January 1, 2024. I can record arbitration proceedings and also make a second simultaneous recording.

Rosen ADR Arbitration Rules - The following are the Rosen ADR Arbitration Rules, which are subject to the Uniform Arbitration Act, RCW 7.04A:

Modification: All parties to an arbitration may agree to modify these rules if the modification is agreed to in writing and does not violate Washington law.
Notice: Unless agreed otherwise, all documents may be served via electronic means except for original process.
Commencement of an Arbitration: An Arbitration is commenced when the parties agree to arbitrate and either party serves a Notice of Intent to Arbitrate consistent with RCW 7.04A.090 on the other party or parties and on Rosen ADR, and Rosen ADR agrees to accept the assignment. Rosen ADR will accept the Notice of Intent to Arbitrate via email.
Preliminary Hearing: As soon as reasonably practicable after Rosen ADR agrees to accept the assignment and service of the Notice of Intent to Arbitrate is served on all parties, a preliminary hearing will be scheduled. The purpose of the preliminary hearing is to discuss the needs of the case, set discovery parameters, set a discovery schedule, and set a final hearing date.
Discovery Limits: This paragraph lists the default limits for Discovery. These limits may be modified by agreement of the parties or by the arbitrator’s order. Absent such a change, the default limit will be 3 depositions per side lasting up to 6 hours per deposition. Each party will also be allowed to propound no more than 20 interrogatories and 20 requests for production. Each subpart of an interrogatory and request for production will count towards the limit.
Default Rules: The Superior Court Civil Rules (CR) and the Local Rules of the King County Superior Court (LR) shall govern all Rosen ADR arbitrations unless agreed otherwise by the parties. If the Rosen ADR Arbitration Rules are inconsistent with the CR or LR, then the Rosen ADR Arbitration Rules shall take precedence.
Discovery and Other Disputes: The parties must attempt to resolve all discovery disputes via a Civil Rule 26(i) conference before involving the arbitrator. Any discovery dispute, motion in limine, or other issue may be resolved by the arbitrator pre-hearing if requested by a party.
The Arbitration Hearing: The arbitration hearing will be conducted via video conference (Zoom) unless agreed otherwise or a different format is ordered by the arbitrator. The arbitrator will consider all evidence which the arbitrator finds to be relevant and material to the dispute. The parties must comply with Superior Court Mandatory Arbitration Rule 5.2 (related to disclosure and exchange of evidence). Unless agreed by the parties, a late disclosed witness, or item of evidence will not be considered by the arbitrator absent exceptional and unforeseen circumstances.
Award: The arbitrator will issue a written award after the conclusion of the final hearing.

Mediation
Mediation is the process of bringing the parties to a dispute together to see if the conflict can be resolved by agreement. Unlike a trial or an arbitration, a mediator will not make any decisions. Each party must choose whether to make an agreement, and they also must decide what the terms of the agreement should entail. As your mediator, I will discuss the dispute with both sides and offer opinions and experience on how to resolve the dispute. I tend to ask a lot of questions and help the parties evaluate their positions through thorough analysis. Most mediations last between 4-10 hours, but they can last multiple days on occasion. Parties are usually represented by attorneys in mediations, but they can represent themselves. The cost of mediation is generally split evenly amongst the parties.

In terms of mediation style, I am an active mediator. I will share with you my knowledge of Washington law, and I will share with you the solutions that I have seen work for many other people in your situation. When you feel locked in disagreement and stuck, I will suggest ways forward.

Divorce Mediation
Divorce mediations are appropriate for divorces or dissolutions, child custody disputes, and alimony and/or child support issues. The cost of divorce mediation is generally split evenly between the parties.

In divorce and parenting mediation, I act as an impartial facilitator who assists you and your spouse or your children’s other parent in conferring and agreeing on a variety of subjects. Our shared objective is to create a settlement that both of you can agree upon. While decisions regarding housing, the residential plan (in Washington this is called a Parenting Plan), child support, possessions, and finances might be difficult to discuss, I have experience with thousands of family law cases and can help you address these issues point by point in ways that enable you to reach an agreement. I can also make suggestions that I have seen work for others in similar situations. I have up to date child support calculation software that can be invaluable for resolving child support disputes. And, with the modern acceptance of Zoom, I can mediate divorces for all Washington courts. I am also available to mediate in person when requested.

I generally am an active participant in our discussions to help you understand the significant financial issues in divorce, parenting plans, and child support calculations. I have conducted hundreds of trials and motions involving child support issues, the division of homes, Restricted Stock Units, vehicles, pensions, 401(k)s, and other financial issues. This familiarity with numbers and the financial aspects of divorce allows me to offer valuable assistance and guidance throughout the divorce mediation process.

As a retired judge and trained mediator, I can lead your discussions, but you remain the final decision maker. When you reach an agreement, I can assist you and your attorney in preparing a legally binding agreement (called a Civil Rule 2A agreement) showing your decisions so that a Washington State lawyer can draft the appropriate legal paperwork allowing a court to finalize the divorce decree and other appropriate legal pleadings.

BOOK INSTANTLY

First, click the See Our Calendar button at the bottom of this page to see my calendar. Pricing for mediation, including 2 hours of preparation time, is as follows:

Hours	# of Parties	Price
4	2	$2700
4	3	$3200
4	4	$3700
4	5	$4200
--	--	--
8	2	$4500
8	3	$5000
8	4	$5500
8	5	$6000

Mediation overage hours and arbitrations are billed at $450 per hour.Next, work with your opposing party to find a date and time that works for everyone (and feel free to send a link to this webpage so everyone can see my availability).Finally, once you have agreed on a date and time, simply come back to this page and select an appointment time to begin the booking process.If the date you need is not available, if you are asking for an evening or weekend appointment, or if you need multiple days in a row, please contact me. Depending on my availability, I may be able to schedule rush mediations to comply with court deadlines.You can also call, text, or email if you would like to book your appointment manually or need help.

See Our Calendar

Rosen ADR
Terms & Conditions

If your appointment is cancelled within 10 days of your scheduled date, you will not receive a refund. If your appointment is cancelled more than 10 days of your scheduled date, you will receive a refund less 4% if your payment was by credit card, or less $20 if your payment was by ACH transfer (listed as “US bank account” button on payment page).All mediations will be conducted via Zoom unless both parties and Rosen ADR agree otherwise. Arbitrations will be conducted via Zoom unless the parties agree or the arbitrator orders otherwise. If a facility rental fee is necessary for an in person proceeding, the parties will pay the fee to Rosen ADR.If you mediation or arbitration requires work in addition to the allocated hours, you will be billed at $450 per hour for that extra time.If a party is represented by a law firm, then that law firm agrees to be responsible for the fees and costs resulting from the mediation or arbitration.Rosen ADR does not give any legal advice. By engaging Rosen ADR, you agree that Rosen ADR will not provide you or your clients any legal advice.

Your submission has been received.
We will let you know if we can accept your appointment within 24 hours, usually much faster!